WINNING THE ATTENTION-GRAB GAME

We are over-scheduled, constantly busy and stress out. And I’m as guilty as everyone.

We’re not reading anymore, we’re skimming. (By the way, that’s why I’m writing in short sentences and even shorter paragraphs.)

Tell your story so people start talking about you.

I’ve already mentioned a million times that our attention spans are shorter than a goldfish. Well, it seems as if it is getting shorter every day.

And all the means is what worked last year to grab attention and earn new customers just isn’t working anymore.

Frankly, it’s time to pivot

Telling stories is a great way to do that, but even that on its own isn’t enough.

You have to make them shorter, entertaining, authentic, and unique.

You earn the right to sell by serving and connecting with your ideal customers.

I’m going to go out on a limb and guess you aren’t finding much argument with what I’ve written so far.

But that doesn’t really answer the question of “What to do,” does it?

How to Win the Attention-Grab Game

1. Adapt & Experiment

Stick with the status quo and you lose. Plain and simple.

There are many different ways to adapt to the rapid changes in social media.

Some are free and time-consuming and some will cost you, yet save you time.

But if you want to use social media to grow your business, you need to be prepared to pay something.

Compared to traditional advertising of days gone by, social media is still a deal. We’ve just have to get used to the new normal.

I know you know that there is no magic pill and no single strategy will work for everyone.

That’s why adapting and experimenting is so important.

Whether you’re monitoring your audience’s hashtags, trying out different social platforms, experimenting with posting schedules or testing new features, there is simply too much activity in your feeds to get noticed without paying.

2. Your Visuals and Words Matter

Visuals are a must and they have to be scroll-stopping worthy. And the first words you audience reads better be entertaining and interesting.

Here are few tips:

Use humor. Life is too serious and if you can lighten it for someone every now and then, consider it a win.

Be human. People want to gather around other people like them. Share the bad, along with the good and the ugly, along with the pretty.

Be opinionated. Remember, you don’t care about catching the attention of someone who isn’t likely to do business with you – so don’t worry about pleasing everyone.

3. Share In Real-Time

Tap into what’s happening now. Look for local and national events that interest your ideal customer.

Join the conversation, share relevant content, and be present. It can be time-consuming, but planning a few real-time campaigns can go a long way.

4. Be on the Right Platforms

It’s better to stand out on a few platforms than to be spread too thin and put out uninteresting content that isn’t getting you noticed.

I suggest starting by focusing on mastering one platform why dabbling in one or two others.

What does that mean exactly?

Trying to master more than one at a time can be time-consuming and distracting.

But it’s easier to master a platform with a bit of presence when you start the process.

Which means don’t ignore the other platforms your customers are hanging out on just to master one.

It goes without saying, that you should choose platforms where your ideal customers are active.

Note: Just because a social media platform is the right one today, doesn’t mean it will be the right one tomorrow. A good indicator that you are on the right social media platform comes from monitoring what your competitors are doing, what your audience is saying and how your engagement is progressing.

5. Use Anecdotes and Story Scenes

Anecdotes are a great way to let people into your world and get to know you.

Pair anecdotes with stunning visuals with notable events from the calendar and you have content that is going a step above and positioned to grab attention.

What you need to know about story scenes:

Story scenes are the building block of your stories – the stories designed to help move the customer through the journey towards making a buying decision.

The reason why story scenes are perfect for social media is they depend on starting with action and getting straight to the point.

Sometimes they are short and sweet and sometimes they are a bit longer and they are a perfect way to experiment with different types and lengths of content.

Now you might be wondering if we have such a short attention span, why experiment with long content?

Because if the story is good enough, people will pay attention. And you want people paying attention to your content as long as possible.

Inside of Powered by Story, I walk you through the creation of 13 story scenes designed to turn browsers to buyers.

And to help you get started, I’ve taken three of those story scenes that are perfect to help elevate your storytelling on social media. This workbook is rapid-fire story crafting at its best. Enjoy!